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Memory Disorders Center

Center for Memory Disorders

The Stanford Center for Memory Disorders is dedicated to the fight
against cognitive decline. There are many different causes of memory
loss, and an accurate diagnosis by an experienced team is essential to
getting the best treatment.

The Center is one of only about 30 National Institutes of Health
(NIH) designated Alzheimer’s Disease Centers in the United States, as
well as a designated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

A Brief History of Dementia

A woman in her early 50's was admitted to a hospital because of
increasingly odd behavior. Her family reported that she had been
showing memory problems and strong feelings of jealousy. She also had
become disoriented at home and was hiding objects. During a doctor's
examination, the woman was unable to remember her husband's name, the
year, or how long she had been at the hospital. She could read but did
not seem to understand what she read, and she stressed the words in an
unusual way. She sometimes became agitated and seemed to have
hallucinations and irrational fears."

This description, of a woman known as Auguste D., was the first
scientific report of the disease now known as Alzheimer's disease,
after Alois Alzheimer, the German doctor who wrote it. After Auguste
D. died in 1906, doctors examined her brain and found that it appeared
shrunken and contained several unusual features, including strange
clumps of protein called plaques and tangled fibers inside the nerve
cells. Memory impairments and other symptoms of dementia, which means
"deprived of mind," had been described in older adults since
ancient times. However, because Auguste D. began to show symptoms at a
relatively early age, doctors did not think her disease could be
related to what was then called "senile dementia." The word
senile is derived from a Latin term that means, roughly, "old age."

It is now clear that Alzheimer's disease is a major cause of
dementia in elderly people as well as in relatively young adults.
Furthermore, we know that it is only one of many disorders that can
lead to dementia. The U. S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment
estimates that as many as 6.8 million people in the United States have
dementia, and at least 1.8 million of those are severely affected.
Studies in some communities have found that almost half of all people
age 85 and older have some form of dementia. Although it is common in
very elderly individuals, dementia is not a normal part of the aging
process. Many people live into their 90s and even 100s without any
symptoms of dementia.

Besides senile dementia, other outdated terms often used to describe
dementia include senility and organic brain syndrome.
"Senility" and "senile dementia" reflect the
formerly widespread belief that dementia was a normal part of aging.
"Organic brain syndrome" refers to physical disorders (not
psychiatric in origin) that impair mental functions. As scientific
knowledge into the causes of dementia has grown, these old terms are
no longer useful.

Research in the last 30 years has led to a greatly improved
understanding of what dementia is, who gets it, and how it develops
and affects the brain. This work is beginning to pay off with better
diagnostic techniques, improved treatments, and even potential ways of
preventing these diseases.

Susan Harvell's memory lapses signaled early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Getting a clear diagnosis at Stanford has allowed her to plan her future with her family.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.

Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.

For Patients

For your convenience, you may check in for all same-day appointments
at the Stanford Neuroscience Health Center through a centralized,
check-in desk near the front lobby. In addition to all outpatient
services, you also can access onsite pre-surgery consultations at the center.

Call us to make, change or reschedule an appointment.

PREPARE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

Bring your completed New Patient Questionnaire, if
applicable.

Bring someone who knows you well, such as a
spouse, child, caregiver, or close friend to your appointment.

Call us to make an appointment

Resources

For Health Care Professionals

Any patient with a progressive neurological syndrome that includes
cognitive or behavioral symptoms is appropriate for referral. The
earlier you refer a patient, the better. Patients with mild cognitive
impairment may benefit the most from diagnosis and treatment,
especially as emerging therapies become available. We see patients for
one-time consultations, second opinions, and for longitudinal care.

PHYSICIAN HELPLINE

TRANSFER CENTER

Phone: 1-800-800-1551, 24 hours - 7 days a week

Stanford Health Care (formerly Stanford Hospital & Clinics)
provides comprehensive services to refer and track patients, as well
as provides the latest information and news for physicians and office
staff. For help with all referral needs and questions visit Referring Physicians.

HOW TO REFER

Call us at 650-723-6469 to refer a patient.

Before we see a patient, it is helpful (but not necessary) to
test thyroid function (TSH and T4) and serum B12, and to have
obtained magnetic resonance brain imaging.

Any prior brain
imaging (films or CD) should be hand-carried to the
appointment.